For purpose-driven companies, these are interesting times. We have always believed that our mission at Salesforce is to improve the state of the world. In fact, studies show that purpose is a number one driver behind business success. Brand perception, consumer loyalty, employee retention and stakeholder optimism are all tied to how a company acts on its purpose.

In our trust-starved world, this is even more important. According to Edelman’s recent 2018 Trust Barometer, trust is at an all-time low with 52 percent of the global general population saying traditional institutions of power are not trustworthy. But what was most interesting is that 64 percent of respondents said CEOs should take the lead on changing the world –  not governments or nonprofits.

This onus on companies to evolve from a contributor of social impact to a leader in social impact is a critical theme in the five trends that most inspire us in 2018.

Trend #1: Transparency is so in

Openness is not just a must-have, it is expected by every stakeholder. Every aspect of transparency from being your true self at work, to openly reporting progress against your impact goals are all expected of the new corporate citizen.

Trend #2: Making time to do good: an everyday expectation

Did you know that a majority of students about to enter the workforce say a job where they can “make an impact” is important for their happiness? The workforce in 2020 will be redefining what workplace volunteerism looks like. Companies like Salesforce andJohnson & Johnson are already committed to seven paid volunteer days off per year for each employee. These may seem like philanthropic platitudes but they are part of everyday business for trend-setting corporations.

Read the full article about social impact trends that inspire by Ebony Frelix at TriplePundit (via 3BL Media).